In my experience in the lower 48. They will be checking grounds / safety, thats about it. They will look at previous floor plans and know if youve done an unpermitted addition.
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It’s a very cursory inspection. They have a little plug tool that will say “no ground” or whatever but really the inspection is a joke, at least in my experience.
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Here in CA one must, of course, be licensed, and there is a checklist of things that must be inspected.
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That’s sweet adds a tad more clearance under the sink
i just passed my test for a home inspector and am waiting on the license. in wv, it is a non-invasive and non-dmagaing inspection. we remove all panels and look at the underlying issues and operate all user controls. if a breaker is turned off we can’t trun it on. we can look under ceiling tiles (over them actually) and everywhere that is accessible. not allowed to move homeonwner’s possessions to look at things or gain access if something is blocking a panel or attic access for example. can’t run a dishwasher if things are inside it.
i walked through with mine and he told me i was pretty good and should be an inspector, so i took the class. i found things he missed while walking though and even found something my inspector missed while on the mock inspection on the last day. i can’t say for canad specifically but i assume it is pretty close to the us if the inspectors need a license, and all states in the us don’t require them.
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Hey guys. Thanks for the replies.
So, there are four “new” circuits (circuits that have been added since house purchase/moved in); three 20A circuits and one 30A. That should be fine?
(The 30A circuit is 10/2 type UF-B). Two of the 20A circuits are 240V.
@Midnightsun72 You’re in the trades, and experienced, so I’m curious what you might think about this (my original question post) based on experience you might have, too.
I don’t know if I mentioned it, but this electrical, on the room end, is on the same wall that I asked my drywall question about. I’m going to be removing the shitty dryway/patch work on that entire wall, and having someone redo the drywall. So I’ll have the wall open for a bit. The circuits ran in the room have the cable and boxes surface mounted (it’s not inside the walls. --Much time was spent scouring the CEC for what can and can’t be done. If you think or know about some issues/violations with this, that I can actually reference, please share. I think I have all the related codes highlighted in my CEC book).
So, while the wall is open, I’m considering two options regarding electrical.
-
Move/install the boxes in the wall and run the cable in the wall to them as one usually would (and change panel wiring/receptacles/breakers/etc. back to 120V wiring). Then have the drywaller(s) do the drywall work after that.
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Just remove all the electrical. And then have the drywaller(s) do their thing.
I’m supposed to be moving within 6 months. But if that doesn’t happen, takes longer, or even if it does, I might be able to use the room (if circuits remain) with a tent or two in the mean time. Though someone coming to look at the house wouldn’t make sense. Either way. Wondering if I should try and leave two to four of these circuits there (properly installed, like I said, of course)…
One of the more recent times I was in the panel, an electricians business card fell out. That made me think more about “what kind of records are kept, and by who, for how long, and do they use that for home inspections like when a home is sold?”
Thanks.
not sure in canada, but in wv we would’t use anything like that in an inspection. it’s just a snapshot of the condition of the home at that time with everyting you have access to. as far as the wiring, i would put boxes into the walls properly and leave them there, then hang the drywall myself and hire finishers - but that’s because i can hang drywall easily but the finish is the hard part and needs to look good. if i had time i would do it myself, but it takes me forever to make it look good.
what happens after that depends on whether you needed to pull a permit of not, again in wv and may not apply. if there was a permit pulled, any work that is done needs to be up to today’s code (sounds like you got that covered) and has to be inspected and signed off on by a licensed electrician first. i am a general contractor but don’t have an electrician’s license so i can do all the work but still need a licensed electrician to sign off. then the inspector looks and signs off and you can cover it up.
one thing i would make sure of is to use 20a outlets on the 20a circuit. i saw a business last week that had “20A circuit” written on it. the thing is, the outlet may have had a 20a breaker, and may even have used 12ga wire, but the receptacle itself is not rated for 20a so it may overheat and cause problems if used near the upper limit too long. the 20a receptacles have a sideways slot on the long side. i’d think it wouldn’t be to much different in canada but don’t know for sure even things like the 20a receptacle.
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You give home inspectors way too much credit. They basically check everything and may make some notes if they find something odd, like wrong size wiring for something or unusual size breakers for the service or whatever. But nothing really comes of it. They will provide the report to the potential buyer but that’s it. No one is gonna ask you who you hired to do this or that. Even if they do you don’t have to tell them anyone anything.
As far as buried or surface mount. I all ways prefer to have access to wires/cables later on so if it’s for a grow leave them exposed. If it’s for a finished room that’s supposed to be something that will be lived in all the time then bury the wiring the in the wall.
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@sfzombie13 @Midnightsun72 Thanks for the replies. Hope you’re doing well @Midnightsun72, by the way.
@sfzombie13 I’m almost positive homeowners can’t “pull a permit” or “have an electrician sign off on the work you did”, or anything like that anywhere in canada, at all. But anyone/canadian that knows can correct me if I’m wrong.
The receptacles are 20A/appropriate for their circuits amperage rating. But the 240V 20A circuits receptacles are 120V not 240V. Mostly to avoid the different plug configuration of the 240V receptacles. This was at the ‘suggestion’ of someone. I won’t say who but they can if they want.
So, I wouldn’t leave those circuits wired for 240V, if an inspector was coming. I’d simply switch the wiring for 120V.
Can anyone recommend a quality, accurate, “machinist square”? And preferably not high carbon steel (or anything that’ll easily rust), would be a bonus. Sometimes called a try square, though I think they are slightly different in use.
The ones I’m seeing, the reviews are pretty hit and miss. For a product that has pretty much one singular job that it has to do perfectly, this is disappointing. Just be perfectly square/90*.
I picked up a Lexivon aluminum miter saw protractor:
I’ve not quite used it yet. Just examined it a bit. The scale’s a bit hard to read - my eyes are getting bad.
So now I’m considering an alternative, the “Sawset Pro”:
It needs to be used along with a “T-Bevel” tool. Which I don’t have. So a recommendation on a quality model of T-Bevel would also be appreciated.
I want the machinist square for things like trying to calibrate my miter saw. Something that is a known perfect 90*.
(I have a carpenter square and a combo square. I just don’t trust them very much. Have a speed square too. I don’t know that it’s really a “precision” tool though. It’s a Empire)
I’d be very surprised if that’s the case. In all three western states, and most if not all other states, homeowners are allowed to pull their own permits. Typically, folks do that so they can do the work themselves. They’re considered owner/builders, and don’t need to be licensed. Other than that, the permitting process is the same. Plans must be submitted and approved, and all inspections must be done, typically by city inspectors.
I’d check it out with your local building department before making an assumption like that. 
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yeah, i agree with that. it isn’t rocket science, not any kind of science. all they want is to make sure the work is done to standard regardless of who does it. that’s why anyone can do it and just get it inspected and signed off on by a licensed person. and you don’t even need to do that, that’s the scary part. you can do all of the work yourself and never tell anyone. it makes the value of the home decrease if it’s found out before the sale, but other than that and the risk of burning the house down it’s all good.
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It’s more a memory from looking into this before, than an assumption. But I’ll ask a sparky acquaintance if I can get hold of one (or some gov. “department”).
You might be surprised about lots of stuff in this stupid place.
From what I remember about the US, and obviously you guys know better, there are some states (or counties, or municipalities, whatever the designation is) where you can ask for a permit to do it yourself - and then you either have to have a licensed electricial to check and sign off on it, OR in some states you don’t have to get the check and sign off(?). And in some other states you don’t have to get a permit either(?). Then maybe there are some states where you can’t do it yourself at all, and have to have a licensed electrician to do anything and everything electrical related. Please correct me if you care to take the time. The latter is what I’m thinking most if not all canada is like. You “can’t” even replace a light fixture, or an existing receptacle or light switch yourself legally. It’s either a permit to do it, or if not a permit then “requires” an electrical contractor.
(I looked into this earlier… and it’s absolutely insane. You cannot do anything electrical as a homeowner whatsoever, full stop. Varies slightly by province from what I can see though).
I think I might be “allowed” to change face plate on a switch/receptacle maybe. But I don’t know if I’d want to risk it; such a dangerous operation.
Thanks man.
@sfzombie13 Not sure if a bit of sarcasm there.
canada and the US are quite different.
Also:
What?
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Absolutely within the realm of possibility. Fuck, it’s even likely.
I accept I may have drawn too broad a generalization. I was probably high.
I agree, it’s all about municipalities for pulling permits and doing inspections, and I certainly didn’t work in every municipality in the country. Here’s what I know from experience - in the three west coast states and municipalities that I worked in, owners/builders are allowed to pull permits for work they themselves are doing on their own homes. As I described, if structural work is involved, plans must be submitted for review by the building department (just like any other structural plans) and inspections done as on any other job. It’s been so long, I can’t recall about electrical. There may also be some types of forward facing cosmetic work that requires municipality approval (there most definitely is where an HOA is involved).
You’re the one who lives there, so obviously you would know better than me about what’s allowed and what’s not.
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no sarcasm at all. you can burn your house down if you fuck up with electrical work. also some other work but not nearly as easuly as with electricity. and you may be required to have an electrician do the work, but you are not being watched and can certainly do all of the work yourself and even cover it all up. it’s your home. nobody is ever going to pull the covers off of the outlets to look during any kind of inspection if it has been covered up already. am i telling you to do the work yourself? absolutely not. i prefer folks follow the rules as much as possible. what i am saying is the rules are there, they vary widely by location- especially across national borders, but your decision to follow them does not depend on them being there.
and you should be able to chage out lights and install anything pictured there without a licenesed elctrician or a permit since it is considered a minor job. you still are required to follow the code, but again, nobody is ever going to pull it down to see if there is a ground wire hooked up or if it is the right size wire. in fact, i would be willing to put money on it. not a lot of money but some.
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Touche. Haha.
I was just complaining. Always appreciate your input.
Ok, just checking.
Thought I detected sarcastic or “humorous” tone. But year, I know incorrect electrical work can cause a fire, and fire can burn a house down.
I was advised the same here; that it’s unlikely certain things will be checked very thoroughly, essentially.
You’re not. But obviously people do. I’m sure people pick out a light fixture, for example, and purchase it with the intention of having an electrician install it. But I doubt most people think/know that it’s technically “illegal” for them to install it themselves if they wanted to.
I do a lot of stuff myself, covering many different types of work, and I’ve often seeen the previous “guy’s” poor work. Usually anything (electrical or other) I’ve been inside of is “improved” after I’ve put it “back together”.
Thanks again you guys. Just need to talk things out sometimes.
By the way, that reminds me of those “fire extinguisher balls” - I’d like to get some of those for the next house, and if I have an indoor garden there. Interesting concept. But I never hear of them being used by anyone, other than once or twice in a forum like this.
Enjoy your Sunday, guys.
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Yes you can get a Canadian licensed electrician to sign off on stuff you have done, my buddy does it regularly when he does renovations.
Re inspectors, a lot don’t have a clue and guess when they are not sure. When we sold our last house, they said, our kitchen electrical sockets which were GFI, were all on one circuit, which they weren’t. They will always default to somethingnot being correct if they are not sure, so they can’t be sued saying something is good when it’s not. They also said our heat pump furnace was worn out being 15 years old, I embarrassed them when I produced the service note from the company that serviced it, saying it was operating at better than the factory guidlines when new lol.
It’s very frustrating when you get these idiots as it ruins your house sale.
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I did mine kinda sketchy but I had an electrician friend help me.
Not sure how it is now but when I was in the market it was so crazy that the seller would have the inspection done and the buyer would have to take their word for it. If you had any conditions at all you weren’t considered a serious buyer.
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as a licensed carpenter i get calls alot well used to, houses are not selling right now to come take a look at what a home inspector said bitch about a GFI and walk right past a structural nightmare any one having to get a inspector they must have what is called errors and omissions insurance if not do not let them in your house plus in Canada there is no board of over site like engineers doctors nurses the likes like that
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Yes, realtors have inspectors on retainer to create favourable reports.
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